For Nocts

[coeurdefeu]

[Mid-afternoon. Much later than Ignis usually sleeps. His brain hooks into the here-and-now, and groans. Well, his headache is gone, as is his hangover, but he just missed an entire morning.

Thank god it's his 'day off.' Of course, being Noctis' advisor means no real days off after all.

Case in point.

Noctis Lucis Caelum, upcoming King of Lucis CXIV, Chosen of the Crystal and Light....is asleep next to him and drooling slightly on the pillow. Heh.

Quietly, gently, Ignis slides out of bed and slips into his en suite bathroom, turning on the shower to warm it up while he brushes his teeth. Noctis will likely sleep right through, anyway. You could set a thunder bomb off under his bed and he wouldn't twitch.]

Comments

[nocts]

[The compliment too easily makes blush rush to Noct's face. He clears his throat as he pokes the fork resting on the counter.]

...T..Thanks.

[A lot of throat clearing-]

What are you making?

[coeurdefeu]

[Noct blushing should be outlawed by treaty. Memo to self, have a word with His Majesty about that. Only no.]

Chickatrice and rice. You said you liked it the last time I made it.

[In fact, he holds up a wooden spoon that has a small mouthful of rice on it, blows on it gently, and then offers it to Noctis.]

Care for a taste test?

[nocts]

[He just can't handle Ignis' compliments when they are this sincere. But every time it happens, his mind drifts off that... perhaps he's having too much hope. And somehow pushes those thoughts away.]

Oh? Sure!

[He eagerly accepts offered food then stands back, licking his lips.]

That's awesome. [Noct licks his lips, trying to peer into the pot,] How do you manage to cook like this even after a hangover? I usually barely know my name.

[coeurdefeu]

[Ignis is totally not staring at Noct's mouth as it closes over the spoon. Nope. Not at all.]

Well you see, your highness, I don't get blackout drunk, on the rare occasions I do imbibe. And I drink plenty of water.

[Pointed, knowing look. Ahem ahem.]

[nocts]

[Noct frowns-]

I don't remember getting blackout drunk-- ah, [he snaps his fingers] you got me there, Specs.

[He just tries to give him innocent smile, which is not innocent at all. But eventually, he bursts into chuckles.]

Okay. I'll- keep myself more in check. I promise. And I'll drink ten times more water.

[coeurdefeu]

[Oh, Noct's dry, wicked humor strikes again. Ignis can't help his answering chuckle, warm and fond.]

As I've said, you're a grown man, capable of making his own decisions. All I ask is that you don't do anything immediately dangerous to life and limb, like drinking and driving. Here, do you mind setting the table?

[nocts]

I know, Iggy. Besides, I think I always let you know whenever I drink.

[There has never been an instance where he didn't inform Ignis of is... questionable, not princely behavior. He nods and picks up the plates-]

Sure, no problem.

[coeurdefeu]

Thank you.

[That's both for the table setting and the first part. He's just glad that he can be here for Noctis, no matter what happens or what he does. To have that level of trust between them is...remarkable.

Ignis has one of those fancy glass dining tables, the kind that show every single little ring if a glass is placed directly on it. So part of setting the table is getting out the placemats and coasters. And when Iggy appears with the pot bearing the food, there's an oven mitt that gets placed beneath it.]

[nocts]

[Ignis can believe it or no, but Noctis can't see himself without seeing Ignis next to him, no matter what's going on. It's just impossible for him.

His eyes light up when Ignis puts the food on the table but then groans softly.]

Beans? Really? [He didn't see them earlier from the amount of sauce, but they are there.]

[coeurdefeu]

[Ignis rolls his eyes. Ah, his spoiled little prince, whinging again. It's a good thing he finds it endearing.]

No. Peas. I suppose they're both in the legume family, but I promise you, there are no beans in this chickatrice and rice bowl.

[nocts]

[You expected he'd say something else when he sees veggies? Ah well, it doesn't look like it's swarming in bea- uh, peas.]

...alright. [He can handle a handful of beans for delicious food. They will not deter him.]

But only because I know your cooking is good. [If it was anyone else, he'd just avoid it completely.]

[coeurdefeu]

I live but to serve.

[Okay that's a touch sarcastic, but it's also very true. As he digs in, he's critiquing his own cooking in his head. Next time the roux should cook down perhaps a minute longer before he adds the cream. Hmm.]

[nocts]

[Noct, on the other hand, has no critique. It's delicious- save for the peas. He doesn't speak up until he's halfway through his food- yes, he was that hungry and the sauce smelled delicious.]

...what do you plan to do today?

[coeurdefeu]

Ah. Erm. I had planned on finishing up some paperwork this evening. Perhaps put on some music.

[He knows how pathetic that sounds, and he's not making eye contact. He really shouldn't be saying that he has no plans for the rest of his 'day off.']

Of course, that was predicated on your not being here. Now that you are, I suppose we could play King's Knight? Or go see a movie, if you like.

[nocts]

[An activity outside of the apartments? Noct is always up for that!

If Ignis doesn't have a headache, of course. He does look better than he looked last night, that's for sure. Also, he still wants to ask him why he was drinking by himself. At least Noct told him last time about himself. But... that night didn't end on lighter end, did it? It's a bit fuzzy, but he has a feeling he made Ignis annoyed by the end of it.]

The movie sounds great actually. It's been a while since we went out! [He shoves more food in his mouth-] Oh, but if you pick anything bad, you're paying for the ice cream after the movie.

dropping nerdy ff refs like heeeey

[coeurdefeu]

Heh. I suppose that's only fair.

[He pulls his phone out, starts scrolling through some screens, types in a few things.]

Ah. There's a new action thriller out. Triple Red-XIII. Would that be to your liking? Or should I deliberately pick the romance flick? Balamb Gardens looks delightful.

eeey ;D

[nocts]

[Noct's leaned on the palm of his hand, poking at the peas in his plate. There's just three left and he's eyeing them suspiciously.

He bites the inside of his cheek at the movie offers.]

We can watch the romance one only if this is a date. Otherwise, I refuse.

[...and then he realizes that he actually said what he was thinking. Time to try and spear this pea with the fork that keeps escaping him.]

[coeurdefeu]

...What?

[Ignis goes the same color as the walls. (A tasteful ecru, just for the record.) And his jaw hangs open for several long seconds, not sure that he heard that properly. Then his brain catches up with reality.]

Noctis, please. That's not funny.

[nocts]

Yeah, yeah, I know. That's why we're watching the- [attempt to stab the pea goes amiss and the thing flies across the table and rolls under Ignis' plate, and it has Noct glaring at it as if it is its fault for everything-] -the action one, right?

... [Awkward pause. Then Noct raises his plate towards Ignis-] May I have my pea back?

[coeurdefeu]

...Do you really want it back?

[He hadn't even flinched as the pea went flying, he was still too busy processing. But he still carefully picks it up between his thumb and his forefinger. Good thing his hands are clean.]

I do understand. It's easy to joke about. Just like how Prompto calls me 'mama Ignis.' But....right now I'm really not in the mood.

[nocts]

[Now Noct is pale as well and feels as if he has no legs, from knees and down. He wishes that that time machine Ignis mentioned last night really exist.]

Yeah... sorry. I. That comment, it just slipped from me. It shouldn't have.

[He shakes his head, but still holds his plate-]

I wasn't going to make any jokes about that. I was just [embarrassed, hoping for something, anything,] trying to actually eat it.

[He did eat all the peas and beans and whatever veggie was in the meal.]

[coeurdefeu]

...Well, perhaps this one can be replaced.

[He puts the pea on the edge of his plate and sighs a little. It definitely would not do to unburden himself on Noct. It wasn't seemly.]

But I won't force you to eat anymore. Thank you for eating what you did. I revel in my small culinary victories with you.

[Still no eye contact, though.]

if I stop responding, I'm asleep >> /looks at clock blinking 3:30am

[nocts]

[Yeah, no eye contact from Noct either. The colors on his face keep changing from red to pale with every word they exchange. But now it's mostly pale.

Way to go and fuck up everything, Prince of Ruin, Noct supplies comment in his head in form of Gladio's voice.]

It was great as always. [He places the plate back down,] Almost didn't notice the veggies. [The upbeat tone he's trying to keep doesn't sound all that funny even to him.]

giiiiiirl go to sleep, there's always tomorrow

[coeurdefeu]

Noct....

[Crap. They're gonna have to talk about this. Ignis thinks hard for a long moment, and then takes a breath. No accusations, no sharp denials. No cruel rejections. At least not from him. He's very careful to keep his voice neutral and quiet, although a small tinge of longing sneaks in there.]

You weren't joking, were you?

I will!! Soon... :3

[nocts]

[He shakes his head. No, it wasn't a joke. But he's not going to admit it loudly. He already knows everything that will Ignis tell him- Noct's duties, his own duties, some protocols, laws, whatever "codes" and crap people at the Citadel fill Ignis' head with. The "crap" that pulled Ignis away from him.]

No, it was. It would be ridiculous if it wasn't, right?

[Noct says, pointedly staring at a messy dot on the table his stupid pea made earlier. Oh, how he wished that this sharp pain in his chest from the words he says are actually from a sword or dagger. It would hurt less.]